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Apply for European Cybersecurity Seminars

Deadline: 08/07/24

Google.org is teaming up with the European Cyber Conflict Research Incubator CIC (ECCRI CIC) to offer more and better learning and job opportunities in cybersecurity to students at select European universities.

These students will get to put what they learn into practice, which will not only advance their skills but also positively affect the communities around them. They’ll do this by working on real security projects, receiving guidance from mentors, and competing in competitions that challenge them to solve security problems.

Google.org and the European Cyber Conflict Research Incubator (ECCRI CIC) are teaming up to improve cybersecurity education at selected European universities. This effort is about giving students who are interested in cybersecurity more chances to learn and build careers in this fast-changing area.

The partnership will help these universities teach a fuller range of cybersecurity subjects, covering everything from foundational concepts to advanced strategies for combating cyber threats.

Students taking part will learn by applying their classroom skills in real-life situations. This can include doing internships where they can work in the field, getting tips and networking with professional cybersecurity mentors, and taking part in hackathons, which challenge them to come up with solutions to actual security problems while working with others and sharing ideas.

Through this innovative mix of theory and practice, Google.org and ECCRI CIC aspire to cultivate a new generation of cybersecurity experts ready to tackle the complex challenges faced by digital economies and societies.

Connecting cybersecurity and AI

  • The European Cybersecurity Seminars program will include a strong focus on connecting cybersecurity with Artificial Intelligence (AI). All participating institutions will receive training on AI and cybersecurity, providing instructors and students with an understanding of AI-based changes to the cyber threat landscape.
  • All participating institutions will receive training on AI and cybersecurity, providing instructors and students with an understanding of AI-based changes to the cyber threat landscape.
  • Participating institutions will also receive a separate toolkit for students, focusing on how AI can be effectively integrated into practical cybersecurity measures.
  • For the second Open Call, applicants will be evaluated in part on how they will incorporate AI aspects of cybersecurity into their program.

Benefit

  • Selected universities receive up to $1 million in funding, cybersecurity education resources from ECCRI CIC, access to Google’s technology and expertise, and a connection to a European-wide network of cybersecurity instructors. The maximum total amount of grant funding available in the second Open Call is $4,070,000.

What commitments are expected from universities planning to run cybersecurity seminars?

  • Running cybersecurity seminars is a substantial commitment. Universities require creativity, depth, and drive, especially to deliver real impact to under-resourced organizations beyond the university. Cybersecurity seminars are not a one-off; they require ongoing passion and dedication over three years – and ideally beyond – as well as a true enthusiasm for improving cybersecurity skills of students in a practical, careers-oriented way.
  • Cybersecurity seminars are expected to actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, both encouraging the strong participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds and creating an inclusive environment, thereby enriching the overall learning experience and strengthening the cybersecurity community.
  • Cybersecurity seminars must have measurable impact, reaching at least 200 students and engaging with at least 250 community organizations over three years, and providing hands-on experience for students.
  • Applicants will also be evaluated in part on how they will incorporate AI aspects of cybersecurity into their program.

Eligibility Criteria

  • In the second Open Call, Google.org will support and fund up to eight university programs across the 27 EU countries, excluding those countries already receiving Google.org support under this program: Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Romania, and Spain.
  • The cybersecurity curriculum will be available in the language of all participating countries, and in English.
  • This program is available to higher education institutions that are not universities, as long as their primary purpose is education and most of their courses are available to the general public. Examples of such higher education institutions include polytechnic institutes, professional or vocational colleges, or military or diplomatic academies.
  • All supported institutions – universities or other higher education institutions – must be nonprofits.
  • Collaboration with other nonprofit educational institutions is permitted, but does not automatically strengthen an application. Where applicants choose to collaborate, they encourage them to build on existing networks and relationships.
  • Only one application may be submitted per person and per institution.

For more information, visit ECCRI CIC.